DogTime Community Guidelines
Be truthful about who you are
Even though you may choose not to share your real-life identity with the community, that doesn't give you the right to misrepresent yourself or pose as someone else. Don't claim to be a veterinarian or a behaviorist unless you actually are one. And even then, remember that your post is simply a comment--not a substitute for a visit with a professional.You said it (not us)
Since DogTime is a community site, we strongly encourage you to submit posts, photos, and other content. We want to hear about your dog and your experiences together. However, there are a couple of things to remember when you're reading stuff posted by other users like yourself.
DogTime doesn't necessarily monitor, verify, or endorse all user-generated content. If dogma2003 insists her Pug knows calculus, don't assume we believe her. Similarly, if your dog is undergoing a medical emergency, we urge you to contact your vet right away rather than rely on answers from the community boards.
Most importantly, use your judgment. If bathing your dog in shaving cream doesn't strike you as sound grooming advice, make a note to ignore other posts from Kibble4Brains77 as well.
Submit only what's yours
Don't upload copyrighted material. Even if you've got the best doggie birthday cake recipe ever, if it came from a book, don't post it. (Feel free, however, to recommend the book.) Same thing goes for photos. If you didn't take it, don't post it on this site.
Misuse or abuse? Let us know
If you come across a post that violates our Terms of Use, don't respond in kind--report it! Email us at info@dogtime.com.
Note: Just because you don't agree with what someone posts doesn't mean it actually constitutes abuse. Read through the post a few times, give it a minute to sink in and check out our Terms of Use to verify whether it does indeed cross the line. If you do decide to make a report, our editors will investigate and take appropriate action.
No attack dogs
Think before you post. Don't harass, attack, name-call, insult, ridicule, mock, bully, or threaten other members. Ever. If you attack a fellow user more than three times, we have the right to delete your distasteful posts and maybe even suspend you from the site.
We also reserve the right to delete any post or ban any user, with or without notice, at any time and for any reason, but we're under no obligation to delete anything that you may find personally objectionable.
Young pups may be reading
You can gripe, growl, and whine. What's not permitted on our site is the use of offensive names, extreme obscenities, or any type of pornography. And don't link to any other sites that violate this rule, either.
Shhhh...use inside voices, please!
THAT MEANS NO POSTING ENTIRELY IN CAPITAL LETTERS. If you really want to stress that you LOVE Dobermans or HATE Cesar Milan, that's OK. But make your entire post one big cap-fest and people may become IRRITATED.
Muzzle your inner spammer
It's annoying to find 17 spam messages in your in-box, right? Don't be part of the epidemic and don't post the same message multiple times on one or more message boards. It's like scooping up dog poop when you're out for a walk--it's your duty to act responsibly.
Stick to the topic
While we welcome lively discussions, please do not intentionally post inflammatory issues on unrelated boards, or direct users to heated threads in order to rope more people into the conversation. Pink doggy booties may raise your hackles, but don't go to the Behavior boards to talk about it.
Thanks for reading. Now go play!
--DogTime
